The Portland daily press., 1887-07-20
BULL AND GRIZZLY.
Very Graphic Description OF a Terri.
BILE Conflict on the Plains.
From the New York Sun.

Il belonged to the engineer corps that sur
yeyed the route for the Northern Pacific Rail-
road" said Amos r. N. Smith, NOW Of Jersey
City, "and one day, while seeking a little
recreation, was witness of scene in wild
Western life which have no doubt there
are plenty of people would travel far to see
If it could only be reproduced, but which 1
wouldn't be a spectator of again for a good
many round gold dollars.
81 left our camp at Young Mems Buttes
one day in July to try MY luck at trout fish
ing in the headwaters of Big Heart River,
small stream five miles from camp. The
weather hae been hot and dry for some time,
and when got over 70 the river found the
headwa tiers were not much better than dry
land, all the moisture could find being little
puddles here and there in the bed. The only
water likely to be found in that quarter with
fish in 1t was the Big Cannon Bah River, and
that was twenty miles away, so concluded
that the best thing for me to do would be to
march right back to camp. There was q
heavy thicket along the north bank OF the
stream, some distance above where | came
out on the dry bed, and a few cottonwood
trees standing may be 100 yards back from
the bank. As turned to retrace my steps
| saw a small herd of wild cattle standing off
to my right. Among them was young bull,
and more splendid specimen Of an animal /
never saw. de and the rest of the cattle
were eying me with suspicious curiosity. |
didn't like the appearance of the bull, for he
had way OF lowering his head, throwing
dirt with his fore feet and uttering an 0mi-
nous sort of below thot seemed threatening
/ turned and walked away, moving towar q
the cottonwood trees. l looked back over my
shoulder and saw the bull coming along af-
ter me. l increased my speed, and so did he,
until was running my fastest and the bull
WIS doing his best behind me. l can't say
exactly how it was done, but it wasn't many
seconds before L found myself in one of these
cottonwood trees, out of reach of the bull,
who was Immediately under the tree, paw
ing dirt and acting very mad. l shall always
believe that was hoisted into that tree by
the bull, although had no evidence to show
for It.
'"rhe bull paved and grumbled in under
the tree for few minutes, and then turned
and walked toward the thicket on the
side OF which there was water-holer The
other cattle went quietly to grazing where l
had first seen them.
Il suppose the bull started toward the
thicket to get drink at the water-hole, but
he never got the drink. saw him push his
way into the thicket, and the next instant |
could see that he had got into trouble Of
some kind. and that trouble proved to be a
grizzly bear. A fierce struggle followed In
the thlcket. The tops of the bushes swayed
to and fro. and | could hear the heavy crash
OF driftwood as the two powerful animals
writhed in fierce embrace. A cloud of dust
rolled up from the spot 1t was not distant
over lC0 yards from the tree in which | had
taken refuge. Scarcely two minutes elapsed
before the bull broke through the bushes.
His head was covered with blood, and great
flakes Of flesh hung from his fore shoulders.
But instead Of showing any signs of defeat
he seemed literally to glow with defiant rage.
Instinct had simply prompted him in his re-
treat to seek an open space. He was 1.-the
and wiry, yet wonderfully massive about the
shoulders, combining the rarest qualities Of
strength and symmetry. For moment he
stood glaring at the bushes he had retreated
from, his nostrils distended, and his whole
form fixed and rigid. But scarcely had l
time TO note all this when the bear, huge,
repulsive-looking brute. broke through the
opening. He was the most formidable speci-
men Of his kind 1 had ever seen, and my SYM
pathies were at once with the bull, in spite
Of his bellgerent attitude toward me few
minutes before, but | had my serious doubts
about the final result of the combat that be-
gan at once.
THAT combat was trial of brute force
that no words of mine are adequate to de-
scribe When the bear made his appearance
out Of the thicket, the bull did not wait for
his contestants charge, but lowering his
great head to the ground, he rushed madly
upon the bear. The latter seemed To appre-
ciate the abilities Of the bull, and summoned